S. Thinakara Anand (19), a fencing player from Madurai, is short of funds. He needs to take part in a fencing competition at Indonesia from September 30 to October 9. The Indonesia Fencing Association will be conducting Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships for boys and girls at Bali. The competition will be conducted in foil, epee and sabre (individual and team events). He is selected for this event on the basis of the silver medal performance in the foil category at the junior national fencing championship at Cuttack, Odisha, last year.
Neither the state nor the unit sponsored the event. The Ministry of Sports, Government of India is not sponsoring either. Rs.1,40,688 is the to and fro expense for the event. The Fencing Association of India is willing to issue the necessary documents as and when required.
A native of Madurai, Thinakara Anand’s, one of three siblings, father is a labourer and his mother is a house wife. Having finished his schooling at American College Higher Secondary School, he is presently studying first year, mechanical engineering, at Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi. Starting his fencing career in 2006, he has been honing his skills under the able guidance of coach Ganesan at the race course stadium in Madurai.
Thinakara Anand announced himself with a bang by winning a gold in junior and cadet championship in 2009 at Thane. He followed it up with three medals, including two golds and one bronze, at National and South Asian championships respectively in 2010. He rounded it up with four more medals last year, including a bronze medal at the national games in Ranchi. These results helped him get selected for the upcoming national junior championship at Raipur this year.
All in all he has won 70 medals at international, national and state level events in his six year career.
His contact number is 9245225603. His family is put up at 17, Manmalai Swamy Street, K. Pudur, Madurai, 625007.
